Medina claims Bexar Dem Party chair

Manuel Medina, an outsider in the Bexar County Democratic Party, defeated incumbent Choco Meza in his campaign for the chairmanship Tuesday night.

“It's about the future; it's about advocating for our Democratic Party values,” a jubilant Medina said Tuesday night. “And that's what's going to lead us to victory in the future.”

Throughout the campaign, Medina said he talked with voters about those values — the DREAM Act, women's rights and equal rights — “the essence of being a Democrat.”

“That's what got us to victory tonight,” he said.

Originally from Los Angeles, Medina seized on an opportunity to make his way into a fractured party that Meza has been trying to rebuild.

She took over the chairmanship about a year ago from Dan Ramos, who beat her in the 2010 primary.

On Tuesday night, Meza lamented the day's abysmal voter turnout, even more so than her loss to Medina.

“The turnout is the most disappointing thing,” she said.

Meza, a stalwart member of the local party, said she was proud of her service.

“I am very proud and honored to be able to say I served this Democratic Party of Bexar County at a time it most needed a leader,” she said. “And I think that is the most rewarding part for me. When the party most needed somebody to step in, I did it with honor and pleasure.”

Meza said the party Medina has inherited is vastly different from the one she took over a year ago.

Medina said he would organize Democratic voters and get them to the ballot boxes by focusing on advocacy — especially among young voters.